Chemical fumes sicken one employee at TCNJ

David Karas/The TimesTwo industrial fans work to air out Armstrong Hall, which houses the School of Engineering, at The College of New Jersey Tuesday after an adhesive being used on a roof replacement project led one to be taken to the hospital

EWING — At least one employee was taken to the hospital last week after ingesting fumes from a chemical adhesive in Armstrong Hall, which houses the School of Engineering at The College of New Jersey.

According to spokeswoman Stacy Schuster, the compound was being used in a roof replacement project.

“All precautions were taken with regards to closing off intakes from HVAC (air) units, but the odor from the adhesive was apparently still getting into the building,” Schuster said. “Immediately the work was shut down and they started airing out the building.”

Schuster confirmed that an individual was taken to the hospital, but due to privacy regulations she could not release any additional information or provide an update on the individual's status.

The adhesive was rated low-VOC, short for volatile organic compound. A low-VOC adhesive is engineered to release a minimal level of gases.

A residual odor remained in the building’s main hallways yesterday, and two industrial fans were set up to help air out the building through doors that had been propped open.

For now, Schuster said, the roof project is shut down. “I believe they are going to pick it up over this weekend or a long weekend,” she said.